Prep Rally

Prep basketball player allegedly carries loaded gun on team bus to road game

Brentwood (Mo.) High boys' basketball player Josh Moreno allegedly brought a loaded gun on the team bus. (The Brentwood Spirit)

Teammates of a Missouri high school boys' basketball player turned in a senior member of their playoff-bound squad for carrying a loaded gun onto the team bus, according to multiplelocal mediareports.

Following a Feb. 6 victory, several Brentwood (Mo.) High players noticed Josh Moreno, 18, with a "loaded, long-barreled revolver" and alerted school officials, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported (h/t @camsmithsports). Moreno has reportedly been charged with unlawful use of a weapon on $5,000 bail.

Moreno has averaged 3.1 points and 3.0 rebounds for the Eagles (12-8), who are set to begin their district tournament next week. He scored eight points on 4-of-4 shooting in a 57-44 win over St. Louis (MO.) Principia on the night of the alleged incident and actually appeared in the next three games -- wins over St. Louis rivals Crossroads, Metro and Hancock -- as Brentwood battled to stay above .500.

However, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward did not play in the Eagles' final two games before his court appearance on Friday -- both losses to St. Louis schools John Burroughs and Cleveland.

Brentwood School District superintendent David Faulkner sent a letter home to parents of Brentwood students on Thursday, alerting them of the alleged incident. He wrote:

Based upon the witness accounts received by the school, we believe that a weapon was present on school property on one day last week, which is a violation of state law and the policies of the Board of Education. As we understand it, the weapon was not displayed in a threatening manner nor was there any form of conflict. Although the investigation is continuing, you can be assured that the discipline policies of the Brentwood Board of Education will be applied firmly and appropriately.

The Eagles have two regular-season games remaining before the district tournament next week.